Mustard as green manure: when to sow and what are the beneficial properties
Content
The concept of siderates
Siderata are real green fertilizers. They can enrich the soil by themselves. The term "siderat" means "high effect". For the cultivation of such fertilizers, annual plants are used, which are capable of rapidly increasing mass (up to 700 kg per hundred square meters).
Siderat is introduced into the soil in two ways:
- They mow the green mass before it blooms, make compost, and bring it into the ground where necessary.
- After mowing, the green mass is trampled into the ground in the same section of the garden.
Sowing of green mass is carried out in autumn, when winter plants are planted, or in spring. The siderat should be cut 2 weeks before planting the main crops. Such fertilizers interfere with the development of weeds, protect the soil from wear and tear by the sun's rays, loosen it, and enrich it with minerals, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.
The roots of green helpers can deliver nutrients to other plants, because they penetrate up to 3 m deep. And when the green manure roots die off, the earth acquires good water permeability and improved air permeability. Among other things, green fertilizer can repel harmful insects, attract bees for pollination, and prevent plant diseases. Mustard is a representative of the cabbage family green manure; this also includes its relative - winter rape, which has similar characteristics.
Mustard types
Nature has awarded the world with several types of mustard. Only white and Sarepta are considered to be cultural ones. The second is grown as a spice, while the first is quite used as a green fertilizer. This siderat has been known for a long time, and began its journey in the Balkan regions. The climate of our country is quite suitable for sowing crops in order to improve the soil.
Mustard white
White mustard can grow up to a meter high, this plant has yellowish seeds, which weigh 6 grams in 1000 pieces. The grains are shaped like small balls. Swampy, acidic lands are not suitable for this culture, and the seeds ripen at 2 degrees. With a growing season of about 2 months, white mustard tolerates frost well and is a winter crop.
Sarepta mustard
This species is also known as Russian mustard. She normally grows taller than her relative. Its seeds have an oblong oval shape of yellow color with a weight of about 4 grams in an amount of 1000 pieces. This species will grow well in dry conditions, but at higher temperatures, the cold is detrimental to it. The growing season reaches 3.5 months.
Video "How to sow green manure and what is it for"
Informational video on how to sow green manure and why it is needed.
Properties and benefits
Mustard is an excellent green manure. The root system can go up to 3 m deep.In autumn and spring, it is indispensable as a buffer against erosion, but if the crop is not mown, it will protect the garden even in winter. Rape has similar properties, but it is more expensive in terms of cost. Mustard can also hold back snow, so it is advisable to plant it among winter crops. Mustard and rapeseed love moisture very much - the more the soil is moistened, the more useful properties the siderates will give it.
The main benefits of mustard as a green fertilizer are:
- the seeds germinate quickly and the culture builds up a large biomass;
- contains a huge percentage of nutrients;
- absorbs micronutrients that are difficult to access for other crops and converts them into an assimilable form;
- sowing green manure clears the area of weeds;
- protects against insect pests;
- protects against freezing and improves soil quality;
- sowing can be carried out at different times of the year: autumn, spring, summer.
Nevertheless, before sowing mustard, you need to take into account the rules of crop rotation.
Growing green manure in the garden
When and how to sow green manure correctly? Sowing this culture is quite easy - it is not whimsical to external conditions, therefore, having laid the seeds in the ground, you can be sure that they will sprout in 5 days, and at 3 weeks after sowing they will be full-fledged crops. White mustard has rather large grains, they can be planted at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other.
The accelerated sowing method occurs by the usual spreading of seeds over the area (5 g is enough for 1 square meter of land). After that, the seeds are leveled, deepened with a rake by 1-1.5 cm - this is enough for the full growth of green manure. Mustard is suitable for sod-podzolic soil, soil with peat, well-moisturized area. With cabbage, radish, radish, salad, rapeseed and mustard have the same diseases, therefore, before planting these crops, this green manure should not be used.
First half of the year: the plant is grown in spring. It is important that the night frosts end, usually in April. It will take up to 7 weeks to develop a culture as a green manure. In the fall, when the crop has already been harvested, you should prepare for winter - fertilize the soil. Sowing mustard or rapeseed will also help. They are grown after potatoes and cereals. If fertilizers are sown closer to the winter period, then in the spring they will sprout, and until that moment the seedlings should be dormant. It is important to take into account the temperature of the earth, as the sowing is carried out in loose cold soil.
As a siderat, sowing of mustard can be carried out even in summer. Then it is planted between the main rows of crops, while it is necessary to ensure that the fast-growing phytomass does not interfere with the main seedlings. The ideal period is to plant seeds before August 10. If there are free beds in the garden, then 2 times per season you can sow green fertilizer on them. It is necessary to cut it before the flowering period, otherwise the strengthened stems will cause inconvenience.
The rate of mustard seeds as fertilizer will be: 200-300 g per one hundred square meters during the spring-mid-August period, and 300-400 g during the autumn-spring period. Mustard seeds can be purchased at the market or specialty store. You can also collect your own supplies. For this, the culture is planted in the spring, but not too densely. Collect the seeds of white mustard in the afternoon, evening, morning.
Mustard is a wonderful green helper for all types of plants. It is undemanding and easy to process. Due to the wide sowing period both in April-May and late autumn, it is always available in stores. As a fertilizer, the crop has established itself as an excellent natural supplement for any garden and vegetable garden.
Video "How to sow mustard correctly"
Video instruction on how to sow mustard correctly, useful tips.